Can A Float Charger Be Used On The AGM Battery.
It is safe to connect a float charger to an AGM battery.
Float charges help keep batteries fully charged while dormant for a long time.
The float charger provides small amount of charge current that ensures
the battery is kept fully charged and does not suffer overcharge.
AGM batteries are mostly lead acid batteries but instead of being
flooded, they have an absorbent glass mat that absorbs the electrolyte.
This mat ensures the acid cannot be spilled and that the battery can be
completely sealed as the mat allows for the recombination of oxygen and hydrogen gases.
AGM batteries do not use the ordinally cyclic chargers but will use
specialized chargers such as CTEK MXS 5.0, NOCO Genius 10, Noco Genius
5, Schumacher Fully Automatic Battery Charger, and Battery Tender 4 AMP.
This article will enlighten you on why a float charge can come in
handy when you have an AGM battery.
And how to properly connect a float charge to an AGM battery and tips to consider.
Benefits of using a float charger on the AGM Battery.
Over the years, the use of AGM batteries has increased thanks
to the many benefits they offer.
The batteries are maintenance-free, have a large capacity, can be mounted
in different positions, and much more.
One of the significant issues with AGM batteries is that they are sensitive
to undercharge and overcharge.
When you overcharge this battery, it can affect its integrity
and shorten its service life.
It can damage the battery when it discharges more than 50%, making it drain faster.
That is where a float charger comes in handy.
It can help maintain these batteries and extend their service life.
A float charger does not overcharge a battery.
When the battery is charged to capacity, a float charger switches
off to prevent overcharging.
And when the battery discharges, the float charger starts charging to
ensure it is in a charged state.
A float charger prevents sulfation, though not a very common problem in AGM batteries.
Furthermore, a float charger is a low amp charger that does not generate heat which
can cause significant issues on a battery.
The float charger such as Ctek MXS 5.0, Battery Tender plus 1.25AMP, Leicestercn
charger, TopDon TB8000 charger, NOCO Genius 5, and NOCO Genus 2X4have microchips that
will automatically control the charger.
When the battery charge level fall below a certain level, it switches on and when
the battery is fully charged, it switches off to avoid over charging the battery.
Therefore, a float charger on an AGM battery can help maintain it.
How To Use A Float Charger On An AGM Battery.
Float chargers use sensors and microprocessors to regulate battery
charging rate and prevent overcharging.
It tops the battery at the same rate as it self-discharges to
maintain it at total capacity.
The charger is easy to use and requires little to no maintenance.
Below are the steps you need to follow to connect the float charger to an AGM battery.
1.
Ensure The AGM Battery Is Ready For Charging.
Before you start to hook up the float charger, it is paramount to
ensure you observe all the necessary battery charging safety precautions.
Do not attempt to charge a frozen AGM battery or a battery that is physically
damaged as this might cause the battery to explode when you connect the charger.
If you will be float charging the AGM battery while the battery is
connected to the vehicle, ensure your vehicle is parked, the ignition
switched off, and the key removed.
2.
Attach The Float Charger Cables.
Next, it will be time to attach the charger cable to the battery terminals.
An AGM battery usually has a flat top with protruding positive and negative terminals.
Take the positive wire of the float charger and connect it to the battery’s
positive terminal and the negative cable to the negative terminal.
Ensure you have a solid connection before proceeding to the next step.
You can use SAE to Aligater Clips, Govel Heavy Duty Pure Copper Alligator Clips,
EVERGEAR Jumper Cable Clamps, Schumacher BAF-C50 Clamps for Charging, or Heavy Duty
Crocodile Clamp to properly secure the float charger cables to the battery terminals.
3.
Turn On The Charger.
After you have properly connected the float charger to the battery, you can
now safely turn on the float charger.
Check on the float charger display unit to ensure it is charging correctly.
Float chargers are safe and can be left connected to the battery for long period
without causing any damage to the battery.
It should however be noted that lithium-ion batteries do not require float charging.
The float charger will also not charge a completely dead battery but can
be used to charge a drained battery although it will take a very long
time to fully charge the battery.
This is due to the low charge current generated by float chargers.
Tips To Consider When Charging An AGM Battery With A Float Charger.
Since a float charger is designed to keep the battery fully charged, there are
some tips that will help in ensuring you get the best value from your charger.
1.
A float charger is designed to maintain the battery and not to charge.
So, you cannot rely on it when doing vigorous work with a battery.
It cannot do the work of the charger.
2.
Float chargers have microprocessors that monitor the battery and adjust
the voltage and current accordingly.
It automatically shuts down when the battery is topped up.
Therefore, you aren’t supposed to worry or monitor for it not to overcharge.
A float charger is smart enough to regulate the charge.
3.
Most if not all float chargers cannot charge a completely dead battery.
The battery needs to have a specific charge level for the charger
to detect and start working.
4.
You can leave the charger connected for as long as you want, even months.
It cannot harm the battery but will help maintain it.
5.
Never alter the wires of the charger while it is plugged in and switched on.
That is because it can result in serious injuries or even shock.
Conclusion.
Can a float charger be used on AGM batteries.
The answer is yes.
A float charger can be a valuable tool for maintaining an AGM
battery’s integrity and service life.
You can extend the life of an AGM battery by avoiding overcharging, undercharging,
by using low amps while charging it.
And a float charger does all that.
Most float chargers out put 1 to 3amps, and this keeps a battery topped up, and
automatically switch off once a battery fully charges to prevent overcharging.